You can hide your number on most calls using *67, or turn off caller ID permanently in your phone settings

When you call someone, your phone number normally shows up on their caller ID. If you want to hide it for a single call, dial *67 before the number — on most landlines and cell phones in the United States and Canada, this blocks your number from appearing. If you want to hide your number on all your outgoing calls, you can turn off caller ID in your phone's settings, though the method varies by phone type and carrier.

Blocking your number is legal for personal calls. However, some places — like hospitals, banks, and government offices — may not accept blocked calls, and some people straightforward won't answer them. Knowing when blocking makes sense and when it will backfire is as important as knowing how to do it.

Key Takeaways

  • Dialing *67 before a phone number hides your caller ID for that single call on most U.S. and Canadian carriers.
  • To block your number on all calls, go to your phone's settings (iPhone: Phone > Settings > Show My Caller ID; Android varies by manufacturer and carrier) and toggle off caller ID.
  • Blocking your number may prevent calls from going through to businesses, hospitals, government offices, and some automated systems.
  • If you block your number and the person doesn't answer, you cannot leave a voicemail — most systems reject messages from blocked numbers.
  • Some carriers charge a small monthly fee to permanently block your number, while *67 is always free.

How *67 works for a single call

The *67 method is the fastest way to hide your number on one call. Pick up your phone, dial *67, then when ready dial the person's number as you normally would. The call will go through with "Private Number," "Blocked," or no number at all showing on their caller ID, depending on their phone and carrier.

This works on most landlines and cell phones in the United States and Canada. If you hear a message saying the feature is not available, your carrier may not support it, or you may need to contact them to enable it. Some carriers charge a small fee per blocked call if you do not have a calling plan that includes it, though most do not.

One important limitation: if the person does not answer and you try to leave a voicemail, most systems will reject the message because they cannot associate it with a phone number. If you need them to know it was you, you will have to call back without blocking or send a text message instead.

Turning off caller ID permanently in your phone settings

If you want to block your number on every call you make, you can disable caller ID in your phone's settings rather than dialing *67 each time. The steps depend on what kind of phone you have.

On an iPhone: Open Settings, tap Phone, scroll down to Show My Caller ID, and toggle it off. Your number will be blocked on all outgoing calls until you turn it back on.

On an Android phone: The location varies by manufacturer and carrier. Common paths are Settings > Phone > Additional Settings > Caller ID, or Settings > Call Settings > Caller ID. If you cannot find it, search "caller ID" in your phone's settings search box. Some carriers also let you manage this through their own app — check your carrier's website for instructions specific to your plan.

If you turn off caller ID in your settings and later want to show your number again, go back to the same menu and toggle it on. This does not affect *67 — you can still use *67 on individual calls even if caller ID is turned on in your settings.

When blocking your number will cause problems

Many organizations will not accept calls from blocked numbers. Banks, hospitals, government offices, and customer service lines often reject them outright or route them to a different queue. If you are calling to conduct business, blocking your number may mean your call never reaches the right person, or it gets disconnected.

Automated systems — like appointment reminders, two-factor authentication calls, or delivery notifications — frequently cannot process calls from blocked numbers. If you are expecting a callback from a business and you blocked your number when you called them, they may not be able to reach you back.

Some people straightforward do not answer calls from blocked numbers because they assume it is spam. If the person does not know you are calling, they may ignore it entirely. If you are calling someone who does not recognize your number, blocking it makes it even less likely they will pick up.

Blocking your number through your carrier

If you want a more permanent solution than toggling settings, you can contact your carrier directly and ask them to block your caller ID on all outgoing calls. This is different from turning it off in your phone settings — it is a service-level change that applies no matter what phone you use on that account.

Most major carriers — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and others — offer this as an add-on service, though some include it free with certain plans. Call your carrier's customer service line and ask about "blocking caller ID" or "anonymous calling." They will tell you whether it is available on your plan, what it costs if anything, and how long it takes to set up.

The advantage of doing this through your carrier is that it is consistent across all your calls and devices. The disadvantage is that it is harder to turn off for individual calls if you change your mind — you have to call the carrier again to re-enable caller ID.

What happens when you block your number and leave a voicemail

If you call someone with your number blocked and they do not answer, do not try to leave a voicemail. Most voicemail systems cannot process messages from blocked numbers because they have no way to associate the message with a phone number or return the call.

If you need to leave a message, call back without blocking your number, or send a text message instead. If you absolutely must leave a voicemail from a blocked number, some carriers allow it if you have set up a PIN with the voicemail system, but this is not may provide. The safest approach is to assume the voicemail will not go through.

Blocking your number versus other privacy options

Blocking your caller ID is not the same as blocking a contact. When you block a contact in your phone, that person cannot call or text you — they cannot reach you at all. When you block your caller ID, you are calling them, but they cannot see your number. These are opposite directions of blocking.

If you want to prevent someone from contacting you, use your phone's block contact feature instead. If you want to reach someone without them seeing your number, use *67 or turn off caller ID in your settings. If you want to hide your number from everyone, turn off caller ID permanently. Each serves a different purpose.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone find out my real number if I block it with *67?

Not through normal means. Your number is genuinely hidden from their caller ID. However, if they have access to phone records through law enforcement, a court order, or their employer's phone system, they could potentially trace the call. For personal calls, *67 is effective privacy protection.

Will *67 work if I am calling from a business phone or office line?

It depends on the phone system. *67 works on standard phone lines, but many business phone systems, VoIP systems, and office extensions have their own caller ID settings that override *67. Check with your IT department or phone system administrator to see if blocking is possible on your work phone.

What if I block my number and the person calls me back?

They cannot call you back because they do not have your number. If you want them to be able to reach you, you will need to call again without blocking, send a text message with your number, or use a different method to share your contact information.

Does blocking my number cost money?

Using *67 is free on most carriers. Turning off caller ID in your phone settings is free. Some carriers charge a small monthly fee — usually a few dollars — if you want to block your number on all calls as a carrier service, but many include it free with standard plans. Contact your carrier to ask about their specific pricing.

Can I block my number on text messages?

No. Text messages do not use the same caller ID system as phone calls. Your phone number will always appear on text messages you send. If you want to text someone anonymously, you would need to use a separate texting app or service that assigns you a temporary number, but that is a different tool than blocking your regular number.